Administrative Letter: #24
Policy Code: EEAEB
To: Public School Administrators, Business Managers, Transportation Directors, and School Bus Vendors
Date: 26 March 2019
Subject: Clarification Concerning Local and State School Bus Bid and Purchase
To assist and support school districts in their diligent work to purchase school buses, the Maine Department of Education is providing clarification concerning the process for districts to bid and purchase school buses.
The information in this letter has been reviewed and confirmed by our legal team in the Office of the Attorney General.
For a school bus purchase to be eligible for State subsidy, per 20-A M.R.S. § 5401(15) and § 5402, the school administrative unit (SAU) must:
(1) purchase the bus from the bidder selected through the State of Maine Division of Procurement school bus bid Request for Quotations (RFQ) for bus Type and capacity or
(2) upon request, provide to the Department documentation that demonstrates the purchase was the result of a competitive bidding process conducted by the SAU following, 20-A M.R.S § 5402 bid procedures.
For school buses purchased by a SAU when the SAU is not seeking subsidy, the SAU must still engage in competitive bidding, as outlined above.
Vendors are welcome to register with, and submit school bus bids through, the Maine Division of Procurement’s Request for Quotations (RFQ). During an open bid, vendors may not contact the Maine Department of Education. Questions that vendors receive about Maine Department of Education transportation programs, policies, and procedures from SAUs or citizens are to be redirected to the state agency with subject authority, e.g., Maine Division of Procurement or Maine Department of Education.
SAU use of the Maine Department of Education’s School Bus Bid and Purchase System (SBBPS) is voluntary. SAUs are encouraged to contact Pat Hinckley at 207-624-6886 or pat.hinckley@maine.gov with any questions about the SBBPS, transportation programs, or policy questions.